Chasing Dreams
by vagleefan
Summary: Rachel and Kurt chase their dreams all the way to New York. Finchel & Klaine.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, I couldn't help but write this after the finale & the conversation Kurt and Rachel had. This is totally AU and takes place after graduation. I don't own the characters or Glee, only the mere idea of the story.**

Rachel stared with eyes wide at the tiny kitchen. Even with her small stature, she wondered if she'd be able to fit in their comfortably. She ran her hand over the small stove, moving then to open the equally small refrigerator. It was empty and relatively clean, which she was thankful for. She was carefully opening one of the drawers when she heard the front door open.

"Rachel." Kurt called out, balancing a plant in one hand and a bag in the other. He stumbled through the doorway, kicking the door shut behind him.

"I'm in the kitchen." Rachel answered. "If you can call it that." She mumbled the last words, hoping that Kurt couldn't hear what she said. He had so painstakingly picked out this apartment for them and though it wasn't up to either of their standards, it was truthfully all they could afford at the moment. Rachel's dads and Kurt's parents had agreed to chip in for the deposit and first months rent, helping the two until they both could be gainfully employed. Well, as gainfully employed as two full time college students could be.

Kurt sat the plant on the small café table they were using as a dining room table and sat the bag down on the floor. He leaned his head around the doorway of the kitchen, watching as Rachel opened and closed empty cabinets.

"Figuring out where to put our fine china?" Kurt smiled. Rachel closed the last cabinet, groaning loudly as she eyed the unopened boxes littered across the counter.

"Something like that." She sighed, turning to face Kurt. He still had his head poking around the doorway as she squeezed past him. She stepped over a few boxes and collapsed on the well worn couch Kurt's parents had given them. Rachel ran her hand over the edge of the cushion she was sitting on, a small smile appearing on her lips. The tan hue was faded from years of use. Rachel could recall many late night make out sessions she and Finn had on that couch when it resided in the Hudson-Hummel basement.

"Blaine's going to bring dinner by later." Kurt said, slipping next to Rachel on the couch. She blushed a little as Kurt interrupted her thoughts. Blaine had come to New York before either of them to get settled at NYU. He was staying on campus, but Rachel was pretty sure she'd be seeing an awful lot of him while living with Kurt.

"That sounds great." Rachel smiled. "I don't even know what to start unpacking first."

"Well I'm going to unpack some things in my room." Kurt stood up, maneuvering around a few boxes and disappearing down the tiny hall. Rachel figured she'd unpack some bathroom items, specifically the bath towels, so at the very least she and Kurt could take showers. She stood up, craning her neck to read the words written on the boxes that were scattered across the living room floor. Once she found the one she needed, she headed to the bathroom. Yanking open the box, she began pulling items out, carefully folding and sorting bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths. The ringing of her phone provided a brief distraction. Jumping up, she ran around the corner to her bedroom and retrieved her phone from the top of her dresser. Her face lit up as she saw Finn's name on the screen.

"Hi." She cooed into the phone, plopping down on the end of her bed.

"Hey you." Finn replied. "How's the unpacking going?"

"Painfully slow, I'm afraid. Kurt's working on his bedroom now and I'm trying to make a dent in the bathroom stuff."

"Well I'll be there to help this weekend." He said. She actually felt her heart skip a beat when he said that. She didn't think being away from him for just a few days would be this hard, but she was finding out first hand just how much she missed him. Finn was still in Lima, helping with a summer football camp at McKinley. Coach Beiste had asked and as much as he wanted to be in New York with Rachel for the summer, he just wouldn't say no.

"Kurt assured me he was saving all the heavy stuff for you." Rachel giggled.

"Are your dads going to be mad if I stay there?" He asked. She could hear things shuffling in the background and wondered what in the world he was doing.

"Probably, but what they don't know won't hurt them." She assured him. "I'm certainly not going to tell them."

"I can't wait to see you." His breath was heavy. She could hear more shuffling and a door shutting.

"I can't wait to see you too. I've missed you so much and it's only been two days." Rachel could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted his arms around her so badly.

"Just three more days. My train is supposed to arrive at 3:50 pm." His voice echoing, so she assumed he was in the bathroom.

"I'll be there waiting for you." She said. She could hear the front door open and guessed Blaine had arrived with dinner.

"I'll call you tomorrow. I've gotta go take a shower; I probably smell disgusting." He laughed. Rachel wrinkled her nose at the thought of him all sweaty and dirty.

"Rachel, dinner's here." Kurt yelled from the kitchen. She could hear Finn chuckle in response to Kurt's dinner call.

"I'll be waiting." She whispered into the phone.

"Tell my brother I said hi and that I've already turned his bedroom into a game room."

"Oh Finn, you didn't." Rachel scoffed.

"Puck's coming over to play some Wii in a little bit." Rachel could practically see the smirk on his face. "Sweet dreams."

She flipped the phone shut and fell back on the bed. Three more days. She could push through three more days of unpacking and job hunting knowing that Finn would be the reward on Friday. Rachel heard Kurt call for her one more time and figured she better make an appearance. Plus her stomach was rumbling and whatever Blaine had brought for dinner smelled so delicious.

**Tell me what ya think…I just love the idea of all of them going to New York together!**


	2. Chapter 2

**As always, I am overwhelmed with the number of story alerts…not so much the reviews, guess you guys are shy. I do thank those that were kind enough to review. I don't own Glee or the characters, but thanks to Brad Fulchuk for the prompt!**

Rachel slipped the key into the lock and turned. Nothing. She wiggled it back and forth. Still nothing. She stomped her foot in frustration. Once again she jiggled the key and turned it. The lock finally clicked. She turned the handle and practically fell through the door, exhausted from the countless hours of job hunting she had done over the past seven hours. The apartment was dark, so Rachel figured Kurt hadn't gotten home yet. She dropped her purse and satchel on the couch, leaning over the end table to turn on a lamp. She collapsed on the couch, thinking that sleeping right there in the clothes she had on seemed like a better option than actually having to drag herself the few feet to her bedroom. Kicking off her shoes, she shoved her purse and satchel over and stretched her legs out on the couch. Her eyes were beginning to feel heavy when she heard the front door creak open. She could hear Kurt giggling and Blaine shushing him, as they shut the door behind themselves. Her eyes couldn't even open to make eye contact with either of them.

"What time did you get home Rachel?" Kurt called from the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. Rachel tried to tune out all the noise he was making.

"I think she's sleeping." Blaine whispered. Kurt reappeared in the living room, taking a seat on the arm of the small recliner Blaine was sitting in. He stared at Rachel for a few seconds.

"I was_ trying_ to sleep." Rachel sighed, still not daring to open her eyes.

"Blaine and I went exploring today. Do you know how many coffee shops there are in New York? And book stores, there seem to be a lot of book stores too." Kurt rambled. Rachel just knew he wasn't going to stop. He could talk for hours upon end when he got excited. And he was obviously excited.

"There are so many fabulous Broadway shows playing and-"

"Well, this _is_ New York, Kurt." Blaine politely reminded him. Kurt playfully swatted Blaine's arm. Rachel finally gave up. She knew she wouldn't even get a cat nap at this rate. She opened her eyes and stretched her arms over her head. Rolling on her side, she propped her head up on her left hand, watching Kurt wave one hand in the air as he continued to squeal with excitement. Blaine shook his head, smiling at how ecstatic his boyfriend was at being in the Big Apple.

"So, how did your job hunting go? I have a follow up interview on Friday at a quaint little boutique a few blocks over." Kurt prattled, finally taking a deep breath.

"That's great, Kurt. My day didn't go quite as well." Rachel frowned. Kurt leaned forward, placing his bottle of water on the coffee table.

"Oh no, what happened?" Kurt asked.

"I think I went to no fewer than twenty places today. A few said they would be in touch, but most said they weren't hiring." Rachel said, casting her eyes to the floor.

"Don't give up Rachel. You've only been here a week. Something will come up." Blaine chimed in. He glanced at Kurt, who nodded in agreement. Rachel flopped back on her back, throwing an arm above her head. She sighed loudly, suddenly second guessing her decision to go to school in New York. She and Kurt had been here a week, which meant she had three more weeks to find a job in order to help pay rent, electric, and groceries. They were quickly finding out things in New York were a little more expensive than back home in Lima. She certainly didn't want to ask her dads for any more assistance than they had already provided.

"I know, I'm just feeling sorry for myself." She managed a slight grin.

"I bet I know what can cheer you up." Kurt clapped his hands together, bouncing a little on the arm of the chair. Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Let's fix a nice dinner…the three of us together"

"Great idea, Kurt." Blaine stood and headed towards the kitchen. Kurt waited for Rachel to get up, but she didn't budge. He leapt from his seat, snatching her hand and pulling her from the couch. Instead of pulling her up into a sitting position, she practically fell off the couch. Kurt looked on in horror as he let go of her hand. Rachel broke into a fit of laughter as she threw out her arm to catch her fall. She jumped up and brushed herself off, still laughing. Kurt finally joined in, snickering at her graceful fall. They were both giggling when they entered the kitchen. Blaine was carefully pulling items out of a cabinet. Kurt and Rachel both ceased their laughing and looked on in bewilderment.

"Well the great news is it looks like we're having Ramen noodles and green beans for our _nice_ dinner." Blaine sighed. Rachel looked from Blaine to Kurt, bursting into laughter once again. Kurt fell against her as he followed suit.

"I'm glad you two find this so hilarious." Blaine rolled his eyes. "Kurt, do me a favor and hand me a pot. This is going to be the best pot of Ramen noodles you guys have ever had."

Rachel sat the table, as Kurt filled their glasses with bottled water. Blaine sat the bowl of noodles and a pan of green beans on the café table. The three huddled around the tiny table, filling their plates and talking about their plans for the rest of the week. Kurt tapped his fork against his glass, gaining Blaine and Rachel's attention. He lifted his glass in the air.

"Here's to us." Rachel and Blaine lifted their glasses to touch Kurt's. "Great friends and great loves." Kurt looked from Rachel to Blaine, noting the color change in Blaine's cheeks.

"And to conquering New York..." Blaine smiled.

"One Broadway show at a time." Rachel added, clanking her glass with theirs once more. "Thanks for making me feel better, you guys. I'm so glad we're all here together."

'And Finn, once he gets here." Kurt choked down a forkful of noodles. "You did tell my brother to hurry up, right?"

"He'll be here Friday." Rachel assured him.

"Good, I'm thinking I want to rearrange my bedroom set already." Kurt laughed. "I'm going to need his manly physique." Blaine shot him a disheartening look.

All kidding aside, I know things will look up for you once he gets here." Kurt gave Blaine a half-hearted smile in return, despite the fact that his comment was directed at Rachel. She seemed oblivious to their exchange.

"Oh wait, I almost forgot." She lifted her glass once more. "One last toast." Blaine and Kurt looked at each other perplexed.

"To Blaine…for making the best Ramen noodles I have ever eaten." Rachel smiled as she tapped her glass against Kurt and Blaine's, then quickly swallowing a sip of water.

"Here, here." Kurt shouted.

**Reviews are always welcome and appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to all my reviewers and for all the story alerts! I don't own Glee or the characters, but oh how I wish I did.**

Rachel shook her ankle nervously; her left leg crossed over her other at the knee. She checked the time once more on her phone. It was only the tenth time she had checked the time in the last fifteen minutes. Finn's train was late. It was supposed to arrive at 3:50, but it was now 4:05 and no sign of the train. Her phone vibrated with a new text. _Should be there in about 10 min._ She smiled as she shut her phone. Smoothing out her hair, she watched people come and go. Young children running to greet family members. Lovers wrapping their arms around each other. She was so excited to see Finn, though a little nervous. The last time she and Finn had been in New York together, it had been on a school trip. This was different. This was real life. She really hoped they could make it in the big city.

"Hi there, come here often?" The voice startled her out of her daydream. She looked up to see Finn standing in front of her, smiling, bags surrounding him.

"Finn!" She squealed, jumping up from her seat. She grabbed him in a bear hug. He picked her up and swung her around, placing her tiny body back on the ground. She stared at him for a few minutes, unbelievably happy to just have him within arms length. He noticed her stare.

"Do I have something in my teeth?" He laughed, taking her hand in his. She blushed.

"No. I'm just so happy to see you." She laughed nervously, as he picked up a few of his bags. Rachel grabbed two of the lighter bags. "Let's go get a cab."

"No car?" Finn smirked, following her out of the train station.

"No cars for us in the city. It's so much easier to get around without them." Rachel said, waiting for the automatic doors to open. She walked to the curb, waving her hand in the air. A taxi pulled to the curb. Rachel stepped forward and opened the back door. Before she could take a step forward, an older gentleman in a suit, talking on his cell phone, slipped in. He closed the door abruptly as the taxi pulled away. Finn looked on in astonishment as Rachel simply threw her hand in the air again, hailing down another cab.

"How does that not bother you?" He asked, impressed that his girlfriend was so calm in that situation.

"You get used to it." She flashed him a smile, as another taxi pulled up to the curb. Rachel immediately opened the back door, sticking her foot out to block anyone from slipping past them. Finn stuffed his bags in the trunk and slipped in next to her in the backseat. Stretching his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close while the taxi weaved in and out of traffic.

"What's Kurt up to today?" Finn finally asked, craning his neck to admire the sights passing by outside the window.

"I think he and Blaine went to an art gallery." Rachel nuzzled closer to his chest, watching him stare at the tall buildings.

"That, uh, sounds fun." His voice trailing off. The taxi pulled up in front of a small Chinese restaurant. Finn recognized the name of the place from conversations with Rachel. The driver and Rachel both got out, while Finn stared at the people walking up and down the street. There were never this many people in Lima. This was something he was going to have to get used to.

"Finn, a little help would be appreciated." Rachel's voice startled him. He could barely make her out through the back window, but could tell she was struggling to pull a large suitcase from the trunk. He hopped out, reaching out to take the bag from her. Once he retrieved the last of the suitcases, he fished his wallet out of his back pocket, pulling money from it and handed it to the cab driver. Rachel grabbed two bags and walked to the door right next to the restaurant. She held it open, turning to see Finn eyeing his surroundings.

"Let's get your things inside. We have plenty of time to sightsee." She grinned. He followed her up a small staircase that led to a hallway. There was one door, which he assumed led to the apartment. Rachel sat the bags down and fished through her purse for her key. She placed it in the lock and jiggled it slightly. Finn watched do this several more times, all with the same result. The lock wouldn't open. He held his hand out, taking the key from her. Jiggling the key a few times, he turned it, hearing the lock open. He turned the handle and pushed the door open.

"It just needed a man's touch." He laughed, holding the door open as she picked up the two bags and walked inside. She elbowed his arm as she walked by, rolling her eyes.

"I heard that." Kurt's voice boomed through the small apartment. He and Blaine were stretched out on the couch, socked feet up on the coffee table, both with wine glasses in hand. Finn grinned at the sight.

"I meant what I said, dude." Kurt jumped up, wrapping his arms around Finn. "Good to see you, bro."

"Same to you." Kurt eyed Rachel, who was standing behind Finn. "Now we can finally get some stuff moved." He winked as Finn shoved him away playfully.

"Hope you're hungry, Finn. Kurt and I made dinner." Blaine interjected, standing up and taking Kurt's wine glass from him. He disappeared into the tiny kitchen.

"You're joking, right Blaine?" Kurt laughed. "This is Finn we're talking about. Carole and Dad won't know what to do with their new-found money they are saving by not having to feed my brother anymore." Finn rolled his eyes, snatching up his bags and heading down the hall in search of Rachel's room.

"Behave yourself Kurt." Rachel whispered, quickly scooting down the hall to follow Finn.

Rachel found Finn in her room, looking around with a slightly confused look on his face. He had tossed his bags over in the corner near the closet. She sat the two bags she was carrying next to them.

"Are we going to have enough room in here to even sleep?" Finn asked, opening the tiny closet. Rachel frowned as he closed the closet and eyed the tiny full size bed pushed into the opposite corner of the room.

"I know it's small." Rachel squeaked "But it's all we can afford right now Finn."

"I know. I just feel so enormous in this tiny apartment." He laughed, reaching out and grabbing her waist. He pulled her closer.

"Well you are a bit on the tall side." She kidded, ducking her head and hiding her face in his chest.

"We'll make it work." Finn hugged her tight.

"You'll probably have to duck in the shower though." She giggled, still snuggled into his chest.

"I'm used to that." He cupped her chin in his hand, lifting her face up to look at him. "So, you ready to do this New York thing?"

"I've been ready for most of my life." Rachel grinned, as Finn brought his lips to hers.

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to the few people that have actually read this and reviewed. The encouraging words mean so much. I still don't own Glee or the characters.**

Kurt rubbed a generous amount of facial cream across his nose, spreading it under his eyes. He leaned forward, his face just inches from the mirror attached to his dresser. Scrunching his nose up, he titled his head up, scrutinizing every pour on his face.

"You look fine." Blaine was rubbing a towel across his wet hair as he entered the bedroom.

"Just fine?" Kurt raised an eyebrow at Blaine's reflection directly behind him.

"Ok, better than fine. You look beautiful." He smirked, leaning his chin on Kurt's shoulder and staring back at Kurt in the mirror.

"I'm hoping my skin can handle this city air." Kurt grimaced. Blaine laughed, throwing his towel in the hamper and then pulling back the covers on the bed. He crawled in, patting the empty space next to him.

"Are you ever going to get used to this living arrangement?" Blaine chuckled, watching Kurt remove his slippers and place them neatly next to the side table. Kurt edged towards the bed, sliding in ever so slowly.

"I'm better than I was the first night." Kurt said sheepishly. He pulled the covers up to his chin. Even though Blaine lived on campus, he had spent the last couple of nights with he and Rachel, helping them get settled.

"True." Blaine nodded. "I thought you were going to end up sleeping on the floor that night." Kurt elbowed him through the covers.

"Sharing a bed with someone is new to me, Blaine." Kurt sighed.

"Well just how many beds do you think I've shared?" Blaine's eyes widened. A light shade of pink was creeping up on Kurt's cheeks.

"I didn't, um I don't…that's not exactly what I meant." He stuttered.

"It's ok. I know what you meant." Blaine smirked. Kurt shifted uncomfortably in the bed.

"It's just different sharing a room with your brother." Kurt rolled his eyes, an awkward smile spreading across his mouth.

"I get it, Kurt, I really do. This part of the relationship is new for both of us." Blaine smiled, stretching across the bed to turn off the lamp.

"You just handle it better than me, I suppose." Kurt chuckled, closing his eyes tight, hoping sleep would eventually come to him.

"Goodnight Kurt." Blaine whispered, letting his lips trail over Kurt's cheek as he lay back down.

Rachel snuggled closer to Finn, burying her face in his t-shirt, inhaling deeply. He smelled like a combination of soap and shaving cream. He wrapped his arms around her, running a hand over her back.

"Mmmm." She purred.

"It feels so good finally getting to sleep next to you." Finn said, pulling the comforter up over both of their legs.

"You don't snore, do you?" Rachel pulled away quickly, looking up at him. Finn laughed.

"You mean you didn't ask Kurt?"

"I-I didn't think to." She said sheepishly.

"I may or may not have been known to make some strange noises in my sleep before." He grinned as he watched Rachel's face turn a light shade of red. Slapping his chest lightly, she buried her face back into his chest.

"Maybe I should be asking you if you snore." Rachel's head popped back up, her eyebrows narrowed.

"Finn Hudson!" She scoffed. "Ladies do no such thing."

"I just pray your dad's don't find out I'm staying here. I'm pretty sure they'd hop on the next plane to New York." Finn said, continuing to rub her back as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Well where exactly does your mom think you're staying?" She questioned, staring up at the cracked ceiling.

"My mom's cool with it. She knows I'm here and has promised not to say anything to your folks until we have the chance to tell them." He moved his hand to her shoulder, squeezing it ever so slightly.

"And we will tell them. I just want us all to get settled first, find some jobs, and become self-sufficient. That way we can prove to them that we really can make it here together."

"We _will _make it Rach." Finn pulled his arm from under her and propped himself up on it, watching her as she stared at the ceiling. She turned her head, her eyes searching his chestnut brown eyes.

"You think so?" Her bottom lip trembled as she tried to fight back the overwhelming desire she had to cry. To cry for the small apartment they were living in, to cry for the fact that she couldn't find a job, and to cry for the fact that she was too scared to tell her dads that her boyfriend was living with her. She simply stared at the optimism in Finn's eyes as she fought back her own insecurities.

"I know so." Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head, lingering as he felt her relax against her pillow.

"Sometimes your optimism is simply contagious." She smiled.

"That's what I always say about you, babe." Finn winked, laying his head back against his own pillow and turning on his side, away from Rachel. Rachel leaned over to the night stand, turning off the lamp. She snuggled close to Finn's back, pulling the covers up to fight off the chill of the apartment's air conditioner.

"Sweet dreams." Rachel whispered, draping her left arm over Finn's side. She lay completely still, listening to Finn's breathing, while sirens blared in the New York night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to all my faithful readers! I don't own Glee or the characters.**

Rachel sipped her water while she waited for Finn to join her for lunch. She wondered what he was so excited about that he insisted she meet him at the little café on the corner for lunch. His phone call was so frantic she barely understood half of what he said. Kurt was supposed to have taken Finn on a small sight-seeing excursion, while she followed up with a few prospective employers, but now here she was waiting to find out just what was so important. She spotted him coming through the door of the café, Kurt tagging along behind him with a broad scowl on his face. Rachel waved them over to the table. Finn planted a kiss on her forehead before taking the seat across from her, while Kurt slumped down in a seat in between them both.

"Hey you." Rachel smiled. "So, why the sudden lunch plans?"

"Maybe I just want to enjoy my girlfriend's company." Finn grinned. Kurt sighed loudly, folding his arms across his chest.

"You might as well tell her now, Finn." Kurt groaned, flipping idly through the menu the waiter handed him.

"Tell me what?" Rachel asked, looking from Finn to Kurt and then back to Finn.

"Well Kurt took me to a few touristy places today. We got to see some cool stuff and frankly some really weird stuff." Finn wrinkled his nose. "We went to some gallery that he said I just _had_ to go to. Do you know they have some naked sculptures in there? I guess I was the only one embarrassed by that, because no one else seemed to mind."

"It was art Finn, exquisite art I might add." Kurt interrupted, closing his menu, satisfied with his choice of fare.

"Anyways." Finn rolled his eyes at Kurt and continued. "We went to Central Park too. It was really crowded though, which I can't understand how that's possible on a weekday…"

"I'm truly growing old waiting for you to tell her the really important part of this. Tell her about the music store." Kurt urged. The waiter returned for their order, interrupting Finn's narrative.

"Ok, where was I?" Finn asked, creasing his forehead in thought, once the waiter disappeared. Rachel stared at him intently, waiting for him to finish, while Kurt simply toyed with the straw in his glass of water.

"Music store." Kurt reminded him.

"Oh yeah, so on the way back to the apartment, we passed this funky looking music store. I wanted to stop and check it out, but Mr. Party Pooper over there said it was resulting."

"Revolting Finn, I said it was revolting." Kurt leaned over towards Rachel, whispering. "It looked quite vile from the outside."

"Well I dragged him in anyways." Finn said proudly. Rachel watched Kurt's face turn back into a scowl.

"I'm pretty sure I should burn these clothes after being in there." Kurt spat.

"So, what is so great about this music store?" Rachel asked, the suspense killing her.

"Not so much the store, but what happened inside." Finn said. "The guy who works in there introduced himself and we got to talking about music and stuff. He plays guitar, so I told him I play drums. Then…get this, he tells me he's in a band with two other guys and they're looking for a drummer. A drummer, Rachel." Finn gave her a smug grin.

"They want you in the band?" Rachel squealed loudly, perched on the edge of her seat. Kurt looked around to see if anyone noticed her shrill. Finn shrugged, taking a small sip of his iced tea.

"Derek…that's the guitarist, he wants me to come by his place this weekend and meet the other guys. I'll play a little for them and see if they like me." Finn explained. "They mostly play local bars and clubs, but it'll get my foot in the door. This is what I've always wanted."

"Oh my gosh Finn, I'm so excited. A _real_ band. But wait, what about when school starts? How will you juggle classes, rehearsals, and performances?" Rachel asked. Kurt raised an eyebrow, waiting for his brother's response. Finn's shoulders slumped, dropping his head slightly.

"I guess I'll see what happens." He said softly, gently nudging Kurt's shin with his foot under the table. Kurt let out a faint howl, leaning down to rub his injured shin. Rachel flashed him a puzzled look. Luckily the waiter returned with their food before Kurt had to further explain his actions.

"Well, I for one am so proud of you, Finn. You've only been here a few short days and you've possibly already lined up work on top of starting school in just mere months." Rachel hoped he wouldn't notice the slight tinge of jealousy in her tone.

"Yes, we're all _so_ proud of you Finn." Kurt mocked. Finn shot Kurt a disapproving look, which Kurt ignored, instead digging into his grilled chicken salad.

"So how did your follow ups go today?" Finn asked, but quickly regretted it when he saw Rachel's face drop.

"I'd rather not talk about it really. I prefer to concentrate on your good news instead." She managed a smile, even though her heart secretly ached at the thought of the failure she had endured that day. She wouldn't ruin Finn's euphoric mood. She had been on countless job interviews and had even poked around a couple of community theaters over the last week, but with no luck. Kurt had gotten the job at the boutique; Finn had scored this band gig, even Blaine had landed a summer internship. It seemed things were working out for everyone, except her, the one person whose heart belonged to New York first.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delayed update…trying to write two stories at the same time doesn't make my muse very happy. **

Light filtered in through the solitary living room window as Rachel trudged through the door, shoulders sagging in exhaustion. The apartment was quiet, which meant she was the only one home. Kurt was most likely at work and Finn was rehearsing with Derek's band. She was truly happy that the guys in the band welcomed Finn with open arms, appreciating his talents just as much as she did, however it seemed to her like they rehearsed all of the time. Finn had only been a member of the band for the last week and a half and most of that time had been spent with at least one other member, if not all of them.

Rachel dropped her purse on the recliner then headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water, unscrewing the top before plopping down on the couch. Her feet hurt and her back ached from sitting on the floor most of the day. She was starting to seriously doubt that child care and home management was really her forte. Maybe if she hadn't stretched the truth to Mrs. De Luca then she wouldn't be in this predicament, but she needed a job; any job at this point. So her overnight babysitting job for the Craig family one Friday night during her senior year in high school had turned into a summer nanny job caring for two small children, complete with household chores.

It had really just slipped out in a weak moment, a conversation from earlier in the morning still fresh in her mind. The electric bill was due, which had Rachel, Kurt, and Finn counting out change in an attempt to pay the bill in full. They were successful, but it left nothing extra for groceries. Finn suggested calling his mom, surely she would send them money for food, but Rachel had protested adamantly. She was determined they would make it in New York on their own.

This led to the little white lie she told in order to get a part-time position with the De Luca family on the Upper West Side. A wealthy physician's family, who needed a mother's helper to come in a few times a week to help with their three children. It was great pay and the hours would work well with her class schedule once her classes began.

"Well you look like you've seen better days." Kurt quipped, slipping the door shut behind him. Rachel was so exhausted she hadn't even heard the door open.

"I had no idea three small children could have so much energy." Rachel closed her eyes as she listened to Kurt move around the apartment.

"Where's Finn?" Kurt yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm guessing he's rehearsing with the band. I actually haven't heard from him this afternoon." She replied.

"We should go down there." Kurt suggested, skipping back into the living room.

"Go down where?" Rachel asked.

"To their rehearsal. You've been moping around here for the last couple of days, feeling sorry for yourself because Finn is with the band most of the time. Why don't you go surprise him?"

"Well…ok, maybe we can take a peek. I don't want to disturb him." A broad smile stretched across Rachel's face. Kurt grabbed her hand, yanking her off the couch.

Rachel could hear the music before she even made it to the door of the bar. The band was rehearsing at a bar about two blocks from the music store where Derek worked. His cousin owned the bar and had so graciously allowed them to rehearse several times a week in exchange for providing the entertainment when a gig canceled. So far, no one had canceled, but they were still allowed the use of the stage early in the afternoon before the bar got crowded. Most days when they had to leave, the guys would just head over to the lead singer's crowded basement and play into the wee hours of the night. In the last week, Rachel had gone to sleep alone every single night, with Finn coming in well past midnight, planting a quick kiss on her head before finally drifting off himself.

Kurt stopped in his tracks as they entered the bar, taking in the scenery of what he would certainly describe to Blaine later as probably the third tackiest place he's ever been to. Motorcycle parts hung from the ceiling; some were even plastered to the walls. The air smelled of grease and alcohol, a combination Kurt was sure could possibly kill him. Rachel spotted a recluse booth in the corner. She grabbed Kurt's hand, ducking into the booth quickly before Finn could spot them. She didn't want to distract him, so she and Kurt sat quietly in the corner, watching the band play what seemed like the same song over and over.

"Just how many times are we going to have to hear them sing about falling out of love?" Kurt leaned over and whispered to Rachel. Rachel playfully nudged his arm.

"That's their newest song, so it makes sense they are rehearsing it the most."

"Yeah, well it's starting to depress me." Kurt folded his arms over his chest, slouching back just slightly in the booth.

"It's a good song, despite what the lyrics actually say." Rachel giggled softly. Kurt was beginning to think his idea was poorly thought out. Sneaking around and sitting in the corner of a ratty bar, listening to the same song over and over again was not his idea of fun. Just as he was ready to snatch Rachel out of her seat and leave, he caught a glimpse of the bartender walking towards the stage cheering loudly as the guys finished the song. The rest of the band took a short break while Finn hung around, adjusting his drum set. Kurt's eyes widened as he watched the pretty bartender walk over and put her arm around Finn's shoulders, talking and laughing rather loudly. He prayed Rachel hadn't noticed, but one glance at her and he knew she had. The smile that had been on her face for the last several minutes had fallen as she watched Finn interact with the woman, playfully laughing with her. Rachel looked on as the blonde graciously took Finn's drumsticks from him and perched herself atop his stool, tapping softly on the snare drum. Kurt slid swiftly out of his seat, grabbing onto Rachel's hand and pulling her from her seat as well. Rachel couldn't take her eyes off the stage, even as Kurt pulled her through the door.

"What was that?" Rachel stopped walking as soon as they were outside of the building, pulling her hand from Kurt's.

"What was what?" Kurt pretended like he had no idea what she meant, going as far as to look blindly around him.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice that girl flirting with Finn?" Rachel was practically screeching.

"Um, well, um, not really." Kurt made sure he avoided eye contact with her.

"What? It was pretty obvious to me she was flirting and he didn't appear to be pushing her away." Kurt tried to grab her hand and pull her away from the close proximity of the bar they had just abandoned, but Rachel refused to budge.

"Well now, everyone's definition of flirting may be different." Kurt suggested, tapping his foot nervously.

"This Kurt Hummel is _your_ fault." Rachel huffed, stomping her small foot onto the concrete sidewalk. "This was your idea to come down here and surprise him. Well, guess who really got a surprise? Me!"

Kurt watched as Rachel stomped off, leaving him standing alone outside of the bar. She walked a few feet before throwing her arm out to hail a cab. Now he knew for sure his idea had been a bad one, only he wasn't quite sure how to fix it.

**Well this didn't go as planned for Rachel or Kurt, but it seems like nothing in New York has. Turns out living on their own isn't how they pictured it. It's not**_** really**_** Kurt's fault, but he's gonna try & make it right, especially since he has to live with those two. Until next time…**


	7. Chapter 7

**I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the story alerts. I know I don't update this as often as I should…I'll try to do better, I promise!**

Kurt shut the door quietly, turning the lock clockwise. He was still trying to get accustomed to locking the door each and every time he came through it. New York was such a magical place, but he had to admit, it was downright dark and seedy too. The only light burning in their apartment was a lamp in the living room; the only sign of Rachel was the ballet flats she had been wearing earlier lying haphazardly by the back door. Kurt made a beeline for her room, the sound of her sobbing echoing from the other side of the door. He wrapped his knuckles on the door lightly.

"Rachel, it's me. Can I come in?" Kurt waited for an answer, but she gave none. He turned the handle, relieved to find it was unlocked. Peering in, he could see Rachel curled up on her bed, her blouse and capris from earlier replaced by a Broadway t-shirt and cotton shorts, her hair pulled loosely into a ponytail.

"I'm such an idiot." She sniffed, her eyes red and puffy. Kurt slipped his shoes off, sliding next to Rachel on the bed. Her arms were wrapped around her pillow with her face pressed tight against it. Kurt leaned back against the headboard, his hands clasped tight in his lap, his feet stretched out in front of him.

"You're not an idiot." Kurt sighed.

"It was stupid for me to think Finn could just come here and be happy with me. It was this crazy fairytale I'd had in my head for so long." Rachel sucked in a breath as she tried to control her tears.

"Hey, that's not true." Kurt put his hand on her back, awkwardly running it across her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. "Finn came here because he wanted to."

"Yeah, it seemed like he wanted that bartender too." She snorted. Kurt reached for a box of tissues on her nightstand. Plucking several from the box, he offered them to Rachel.

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation that Finn will be happy to offer you once he gets home." Kurt nodded.

"_If_he ever gets home." She wiped her eyes once more. "He didn't even notice we were there, Kurt."

"Well you did have us sit way back in the corner." He offered her a weak smile. Neither said another word. Kurt's arm rested on Rachel's shoulders as she drifted off to sleep. Before long Kurt was nodding off, his head leaning back against the hard headboard. Eventually he slid down closer to Rachel, both of their heads sharing her pillow.

"I knew it was only a matter of time." Finn laughed, his voice booming through the bedroom. Kurt sat up straight, looking around groggily. He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep in Rachel's bed.

"Shh." He hushed Finn, careful not to wake Rachel. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, the time reading 11:14 p.m. Finn tiptoed in, dropping a duffel bag by the dresser, kicking his tennis shoes across the room. He spotted the crumpled up tissues on the bed littered near Rachel's sleeping body.

"What's going on?" He raised an eyebrow at his brother. Kurt eased off the bed, grabbing his shoes from the floor.

"I should be asking you that same question." Kurt whispered, stopping long enough to look his brother in the eye.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Finn asked.

"You need to explain the blonde to her." Kurt disappeared out of the room, easing the door shut behind him. Finn slipped off his jeans, climbing into bed with only a t-shirt and boxers on. He slipped his arm around Rachel, pulling her close. She jumped slightly at the physical contact, her eyes blinking several times in an attempt to wake up.

"Where have you been?" She asked, barely pushing away from him.

"Rehearsing with the guys. First we went to Matt's bar and then we finished up at Rob's place." He watched her mouth twitch, a frown forming.

"Are you going to tell me about the bartender?" She waited for his answer.

"What bartender?" Finn seemed genuinely dumbfounded. Rachel sat up, pulling her knees to her chest, a heavy lump forming in her throat.

"I saw you with that blonde." She willed herself not to cry. "Kurt and I came down to watch you practice."

"Oh Deena, What about her?" He asked.

"What about her? Really Finn, you didn't notice her all over you?" Rachel could feel herself growing angrier.

"No." He gave in and sat up as well, figuring this wasn't going to be a short conversation.

"And _you_ didn't seem to mind the attention." Rachel was flabbergasted. How he could he not have noticed any of that?

"I honestly wasn't paying attention to it." Finn said flatly.

"Finn, are you that naïve?" The words stung him. She had always been his biggest supporter and now she was hitting him with her words. "I think you should go sleep on the couch tonight."

"Wh-What?" Finn's mouth hung open.

"You heard me." Rachel pulled the covers over her legs, hugging them tighter to her chest.

"Are you serious?" He stared at her in disbelief.

"I'm really upset about what happened tonight and I just don't feel like you're taking this seriously." Finn could feel the anger boiling up inside. Rather than fuel the fire, he simply grabbed his pillow and stalked towards the door. He turned back one last time to see Rachel gnawing on her lip and the teenager in him just couldn't hold back.

"I didn't realize you were the jealous type." He spat, slamming the door behind him. Rachel jumped at the sound, sliding back against her pillow, trying desperately to hold back what few tears she probably had left. She reached for her cell phone on the night stand and dialed frantically.

"Hey." She sniffed. "I guess you heard."

**Oh me…insecure Rachel strikes again. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated. Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for my faithful readers. You feed my muse!**

Kurt sipped his coffee slowly, the steam rising slowly from the cup. From the small table he could see the pillow and blanket Finn had left haphazardly on the couch. Rachel had left earlier for work, so the running water in the bathroom let Kurt know that Finn hadn't crawled back into bed after she left. He tapped his foot nervously, scrolling through his phone, patiently waiting for Blaine's ritual early morning text.

"She left already." Kurt said without even looking up. He didn't have to; he could feel Finn staring at him from the other side of the table. Finn stood awkwardly, running a towel through his wet head roughly.

"Is she still upset?" Finn asked.

"You slept on the couch didn't you?" Kurt raised an eyebrow, before casting Finn a sideways glance. Finn sighed heavily, throwing the towel over his shoulder.

"For what it's worth, I wasn't flirting with that girl nor am I interested in her." He called out, stalking over to the couch and snatching up the pillow and blanket.

"I believe you." Kurt said, softly.

"Well then why can't Rachel?" Finn yelled out from the bedroom. In frustration, he simply threw the pillow and blanket on the bed and headed back out to the kitchen. He rooted through the cabinets noisily, searching for his favorite coffee cup.

"You know Rachel. She'll come around." Kurt said, smiling as Blaine's text popped up on his screen.

"Correction. I _thought_ I knew Rachel. I've never seen her react like that." Finn said, scooping a generous amount of sugar into his prized OSU mug.

"Just give her some time." Kurt said, taking a quick sip of his coffee.

"You think so?" Finn looked puzzled. He came around the corner, taking a seat across from Kurt. He watched as Kurt's fingers blazed across the keyboard of his phone, a playful smirk plastered across his mouth.

"Look Finn, being here has been a hard transition for us all whether you want to admit it or not." Kurt sighed, laying his phone on the table gently. "More so for Rachel, I'd venture to guess."

"You think this has been harder on Rachel?" Finn asked.

"Well, first off she won't admit to her dads that you two are living together." Kurt held up one finger, followed by a second. "And secondly, it took her longer than any of us to find a job. A job she's not too happy with if you haven't noticed."

"But I thought she liked her job" Finn said, sheepishly.

Kurt shook his head. "It's certainly not her dream job. And she didn't get into her dream school. Sure NYU Steinhardt is a terrific school for music, but it's her second choice. _My_ second choice."

Finn thought back to the day Rachel had received her rejection letter from NYADA. She was too nervous to open the envelope, instead thrusting it into Finn's lap.

"_Here." She said. "I'm not sure I can take the suspense."_

_Finn had carefully torn the seal of the envelope, revealing a crisp piece of paper with some sort of official seal at the top. His eyes scanned over the paper, his smile turning quickly into a frown as he read the words to himself._

"_Well?" Rachel seemed hopeful, blissfully unaware of the frown on Finn's face. Finn's throat went dry, he tried swallowing several times to no avail. _

"_It, uh, it says…" He wasn't even sure how to finish the sentence. He didn't want to be the one to bring all her dreams crumbling down. She snatched the paper from his hands before he could deliver the bad news._

"_Dear Miss Berry. We appreciate your interest in the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. Based upon your applications and subsequent letters of recommendation, we feel you would make an ideal asset to our school, however at this time we have reached the limit of offers we can make to fellow outstanding students such as yourself."_

_She stopped reading, letting the paper slide through her hands onto the floor._

"_They don't want me." She whispered. Finn immediately reached for her hand as she continued to stare at the floor. He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand, somehow hoping it would soothe her._

"_They don't want me." Rachel repeated, this time a little louder._

"_Well that's not true. They said you were outstanding." Finn hated to see her so disappointed._

"_But that there's no room for me there." She sighed heavily. "I bet this is because of my suspension. I knew it!"_

_Finn shook his head. He watched as her body slid to the floor. She cradled her knees against her chest as she slowly rocked back and forth, several tears running down her face. He sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close._

"_Remember what you told me?" He waited for her to answer, but she didn't. "You told me my dreams weren't dead, I'd just grown out of them."_

"_It's not the same." Rachel sniffled. Finn cupped her chin in his hand, turning her face towards his._

"_It is the same Rachel." Finn furrowed his brows. "Just like you told me, there are other schools. NYADA isn't the only school in New York that offers a major in music education. Trust me, I've looked into them."_

_His words caught her by surprise. Sure they had discussed what might happen when they graduate, but Finn had never been 100% set on going to New York. Rachel had always gotten the impression that he was just looking for a better offer closer to Ohio. _

"_You- you've looked into New York schools?" She tried to hide her excitement. Finn had wanted to surprise her with this information later, but somehow it had come tumbling out. There was no hiding it any longer._

"_Yeah." He blushed. "A few."_

"_I always thought you didn't feel you belong in New York."_

"_You made me realize that just maybe I am good enough." He leaned his head against hers, catching a brief glimpse of the smile that was now replacing the tears._

"You're right Kurt. I just assumed that being in New York would make everything ok for Rachel." Finn shrugged.

"When do you plan to tell her about school?" Kurt asked, finishing off his coffee. He stood up, squeezing past Finn's chair and rounding the corner into the kitchen.

"I don't think now is a good time." Finn answered, swirling his now cold coffee around in his mug.

"No time will be a good time Finn." Kurt threw him a cautionary glance as he grabbed his satchel from the living room. Pausing for a moment, Kurt looked back over his shoulder at Finn sitting at the table.

"She's already upset with me over something I didn't do. Can you imagine how she'll react over something I actually did?" Finn's shoulder sagged as he thought of adding more turmoil to Rachel's already hectic life.

"Well you have to tell her sooner or later." Kurt opened the apartment door. "And she will be disappointed." He shut the door behind him rather loudly.

Finn shoved himself away from the table abruptly. He didn't want to think about disappointing Rachel right now. He only wanted to make things better between the two of them and he had an idea.

**Aha, Kurt hinted to this a few chapters ago. Hope you're enjoying the story!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm kind of saddened that this story hasn't had the following my Sam/Rachel ones had, lol. No worries, I love the idea of the four of them going to New York together, so for my faithful readers who agree, I won't abandon you. Get ready for Finn's big secret reveal though. I hadn't planned on this coming out so soon, but my head had other ideas, as did these characters.**

Blaine eyed the picnic basket lying haphazardly on the floor near the kitchen. He could hear Finn whistling in the kitchen as he patiently waited for Kurt. He and Kurt were going to see an art exhibit that was just opening for a friend Blaine had met through his internship, but they were never going to make it on time if Kurt didn't stop primping. Blaine shook his foot, tapping his fingers nervously on the arm of the couch as he continued to wait. He fought the urge to yell for Kurt as he watched Finn exit the kitchen, heaving the picnic basket into his arms. Finn stopped at the front door, looking around the apartment in confusion, before setting the basket back down and sprinting down the short hallway that led towards the bedrooms. He came back carrying a red and black blanket, which he draped over his shoulder, before opening the door and lifting the basket once again.

"A picnic?" Kurt asked, stopping just shy of the living room. Finn turned to his brother, trying to balance the basket in one arm. "That's how you plan on patching things up with Rachel?"

"What's so wrong with a picnic?" Blaine asked from his position on the couch. Finn smiled at his brother's boyfriend before furrowing his brows at Kurt.

"Yeah, what's so wrong with a picnic?" Finn repeated.

"Well, while it's certainly a nice gesture, it doesn't necessarily scream 'let's make up'. It seems like more of a date, Finn." Kurt crossed his arms.

"I can't exactly afford to take her to a Broadway show." Finn huffed, the basket growing heavier in his arms by the second. He hadn't realized packing all that food and eating utensils, not to mention a radio, would weigh the basket down so much.

"Kurt, why don't you let Finn figure this out on his own." Blaine was at Kurt's side, slipping his arm around Kurt's shoulder and leading him towards the door.

"I was merely going to offer friendly suggestions." Kurt protested, stopping as he spotted Rachel standing behind Finn in the doorway, a small stack of papers and magazines ladled in her hands. "Rachel, what are you doing home so early?"

"Mrs. De Luca had to take the children to an appointment, so she said I could have the afternoon off." She quickly stuffed one of the papers into an open envelope, shoving the lone envelope into her purse. Rachel slipped past the boys, seemingly unaware of the picnic basket Finn was holding, dropping the other items on the dining room table.

"We better get going Kurt before we miss Gabriel's exhibit." Blaine cleared his throat, trying to catch Kurt's attention. Kurt nodded quickly, slipping out the door on the heels of his boyfriend. Finn sighed heavily, setting the basket back down on the floor. He wondered if the sandwiches he had made were now flat and misshaped. Closing the door behind him, he followed Rachel down the hall to their bedroom.

"I thought maybe we could have a picnic today." Finn called out as he picked up his pace down the hall.

"A picnic?" She questioned, rummaging through a dresser drawer. It was the first words the two had spoken since their argument the night before. Rachel dangled a pair of yoga pants in the air before rushing past Finn and into the bathroom in the hall. Finn plopped down on the bed, knocking over Rachel's purse in the process. He was frustrated at his apparent lack of ability to make the situation between him and Rachel any better. He gathered up her wallet, a tube of chapstick and a crumpled envelope that had fallen out. Just before he stuffed it back into her purse, he caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar scrawl on the envelope. He pulled the envelope back out, reading the words that were scribbled on the front. Finn Hudson, followed by his mailing address here in New York. He ran his thumb over the return address. Brooklyn College. He fumbled with the envelope, yanking the paper out, his heart beating fast in his chest. His eyes scanned over the words before remembering that the envelope was already open, meaning that Rachel had seen it. She had read every word in the letter. His head was quickly becoming foggy, so foggy he didn't notice Rachel standing in the doorway.

"When were you going to tell me?" She asked, a frown prominently pasted on her mouth.

Finn's mouth was dry, his lips felt cracked as he tried to part them to say something, anything at this point. Rachel folded her arms, leaning against the bedroom doorframe, awaiting his response.

"I, uh, I _had_ planned on telling you." Finn said, hoarsely.

"When, Finn? This is a secret you shouldn't have kept from me." Rachel shook her head.

"I know, Rach, and I'm sorry. Believe me when I say I truly am, but after last night, I just knew we had to get over that hurdle first." Finn pleaded.

"I'm so disappointed in you Finn." Rachel whispered. "I thought I'd never have to say that to you." She shook her head again.

"I knew you would be; that's part of the reason I hadn't told you yet." He sighed, his head falling into his hands.

"Not getting into school is one thing." Rachel stomped towards the bed, scooping up her purse in her arms. "But getting in and then deciding to drop out?"

"I just think it's for the best right now." Finn knew nothing he said was going to make her understand. "I'll go back later."

"Is this because of the band?" Rachel asked, pointedly.

"Yes and no." Finn finally looked up at her. "The band has been getting some really good attention lately, which the guys say should have us on the road traveling for gigs before you know it."

Finn's eyes softened as he watched Rachel stare at him, a hardened expression on her face.

"New York is _your_ big dream, Rach. Playing football at OSU was mine and well that didn't happen, did it?" His words stung Rachel; she knew how heartbroken he had been. "Playing the drums is something else I really love to do. I knew in my heart I couldn't commit to the band _and_ school full time. Something had to give and right now it's going to be school."

"But what if the band doesn't take off? What if you're still playing at local bars two years from now?" She asked.

"I'll deal with that if it happens. It's a chance I'm willing to take at this point…" Finn reached for her hand. Rachel dropped her purse on the floor, stretching her arm out and squeezing her hand around his. "For our future."

Rachel smiled. She was still hurt that Finn kept this from her, but she realized he was right. She had never wanted anyone to hold her back from her dreams and she certainly wasn't about to hold him back from his. _Maybe__I__'__ve__been__a__little__selfish_, she thought, _always__thinking__of__my__dreams__and__putting__Finn__'__s__on__the__backburner_.

"Our future." She whispered, a wide grin on her face. She really liked the sound of that.

**And for all the Klaine fans, I promise they'll have more time front & center soon. Thanks for reading! Oh and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah & Happy Kwanza!**


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